Actor Alec Baldwin attends the Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me screening at Paley Center For Media on February 19, 2014 in New York City. Photo: Getty Images

The 30 Rock star's turbulent year in the spotlight includes fighting accusations of homophobia, and has seriously turned him off a public life altogether.

Baldwin says the accusations ruined his reputation, cost him his job at MSNBC and have destroyed his faith in the media.

Advertisement

“Now I loathe and despise the media in a way I did not think possible,” says Baldwin.

The first accusation of homophobia came after the funeral of James Gandolfini. Baldwin called a Daily Mail reporter a “toxic little queen” after the reporter wrote that his wife tweeted during the funeral.

Baldwin says he didn't view it as a homophobic slur at the time, and has since apologised.

A TMZ videographer then filmed Baldwin yelling and claims Baldwin called him a “faggot”. Baldwin denies this, but the two incidents cemented his reputation publicly as a homophobe.

Baldwin's long-ranging editorial, where he calls American media “Hate Incorporated”, covers his differences with actor Shia LaBeouf and issues with MSNBC's management.

The TV and movie star also talks at length about the modern costs of being famous, and says he's had enough.

“I don't want to be Mr Show Business any more,” says Baldwin.

“I used to engage with the media knowing that some of it would be adversarial, but now it's superfluous at best and toxic at its worst.”

Baldwin is even considering moving out of New York, his home since 1979, to escape the constant glare of the media who Baldwin says also harass his family.

Even though he once “hated” the idea of living in a gated community in L.A., Baldwin says that lifestyle is becoming more and more appealing as he seeks to protect his children from the paparazzi.

Although this is apparently goodbye to public life, that doesn't mean Baldwin plans on quitting acting.

“I want to go make a movie and be very present for that and give it everything I have,” says Baldwin, “and after we're done, then the rest of the time is mine.”